Interpreting Test Scores and Norms

Untitled Slide

Methods of interpreting test scores

• Raw Scores
• Criterion Referenced and Standards-Based
• Norm-Referenced Interpretation

Raw Scores:
the number of points scored on the test, but not a meaningful number in and of itself (p.448)

Criterion and Standards-Based:
reports student achievement without comparing to other students, most relevant when tests clearly stated learning goals (p. 448)

Criterion Referenced Interpretation means applying descriptive statements to summarize student performance on tests (p. 449)

Expectancy Tables apply test results to other measurement areas such as job performance or areas of interest or study.

Norm-Referenced Interpretation:
comparison to others who have taken the same test

Derived Scores:
"a numerical report of test performance on a score scale" (p.450).

Norms:
Tables are provided of raw and derived scores for easy conversion and understanding what is normal performance on the test (p. 451)

Grade Norms (pp.453-455)

• Grade equivalent score does not mean student is at that grade level
• Don't expect students to gain grade level each year
• Don't expect scores in all tested areas are equally important
• Don't compare results of similar tests by different publishers
• Don't interpret extreme scores as reliable reports of student performance
• Grade norms are typically used at the elementary level

Percentile Rank
represents a student's performance in relation to the percentage of lower scoring students
( p. 455)

Advantage of percentiles is to be able to make comparisons among student performance; a disadvantage is that it only reflects the student's ranking within that particular group (p. 457)

Standard scores: Normal curve and Standard deviation

These are the traditional formulas for determining test score curves

Profiles: "converting raw scores to derived scores" allows comparison of students performance on different tests (p. 466)
Narrative reports further develop how well students perform on standardized exams

Skill Analysis: some tests provide reports on skill performance and can be valuable for instructional purposes (p.468)

Adequacy of norms: relevant to the group, representative of the group, current, comparable between tests, adequately described (p. 471)

Cautions in interpreting scores:
only interpret within the context of which it is derived, consider all the student characteristics relevant to the test, consider the types of decisions being made, view a range of tests scores not just one specific number or result, utilize other supporting evidence

Interpreting test scores requires understanding the test type, the students, the norms, the goals for the test, and the purpose for the interpretation.

Resource

Miller, M., Linn, R., & Gronlund, N. (2013). Chapter 19: Interpreting Test Scores and Norms. In Measurement and assessment in teaching (11th ed., pp. 446-477). Boston: Pearson.